Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Preludes and Nocturnes is the first volume in the story of The Sandman.

Morpheus, the King of Dreams, has been held prisoner for 75 years by a wealthy madman. The world has suffered in his absence. Regaining his freedom, Morpheus must restore his deteriorated realm, The Dreaming, and recover his power, much of which resides in three stolen tools: his pouch, helmet, and ruby.

Written by Neil Gaiman.Illustrated by Sam Kieth, Mike Dringenberg, and Malcolm Jones III.Introduction by Karen Berger.

Review:

"Neil Gaiman is, simply put, a treasure house of story, and we are lucky to have him in any medium." Stephen King

Review:

"The Sandman is Neil Gaiman's own inventory of the books of hell, personally rewritten with no small measure of ambition or cockiness." Steve Erickson, L.A. Weekly

Review:

"The Sandman is not a superhero...he is an observer, occasionally a catalyst, rarely the focus of the action. He rules the kingdom of dreams and his motives are not ours to understand. Neil Gaiman...is the best...[at] combining passion with gruesome horror [and] delicate characterization with exhaustive research." Lewis Shiner, Slam

Synopsis:

In stories reprinted from The Sandman #1-7, the Lord of Dreams is freed from decades-long imprisonment and seeks to reclaim his office in encounters with John Constantine, the Justice League of America, and more.

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 4 comments:

Simone Larsell, September 20, 2011 (view all comments by Simone Larsell)
Although it has a more horror slant than the later volumes-- which veer into the realms of dark fantasy-- this volume collects 8 fantastic issues and is an excellent start to Neil Gaiman's comics epic. The Sandman remains my personal favorite Gaiman works, period. This collection is worth getting in part for the simple fact that it's the beginning to one of the greatest stories ever, but also that it contains two particularly brilliant issues-- '24 Hours' and 'The Sound of Her Wings'. The first is a horrific metaphor for the process of writing a story in general and the second a bittersweet walk with Death herself. I can't recommend this series highly enough-- and even if you've never given comics a try, I think if you started here, you wouldn't be able to stop.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No(2 of 4 readers found this comment helpful)

uncle_loki, November 17, 2007 (view all comments by uncle_loki)
The characters in this series have so much depth. I don't particularly like Dream as a person, but I root for him in the same way you might root for a family member even when they do things that bother you. Death and Destruction are the two I enjoy most because they are antistereotypical, also because they are so personable and relatable. I adore them like I would a favorite uncle or good friend, and found myself missing them when the story was over.

I also very much enjoyed the epic scope of the story. It covers hundreds of years, and the same people tend to pop up now and again throughout. The progression of the story is fluid in spite of the fact that it focuses on numerous characters and does not progress chronologically.

The first book is not necessarily my favorite, but it is the best place to start . . . and they are all fantastic. I know this is a bold statement, but I consider this series one of the best things I've read.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No(25 of 43 readers found this comment helpful)

Cedate, December 24, 2006 (view all comments by Cedate)
It has been a long time since I picked up a graphic novel. What an awesome reintroduction to this genre. The combination of Gaiman's amazing storytelling and the great artwork make for an exciting experience. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No(27 of 50 readers found this comment helpful)

"Review"
by Stephen King,
"Neil Gaiman is, simply put, a treasure house of story, and we are lucky to have him in any medium."

"Review"
by Steve Erickson, L.A. Weekly,
"The Sandman is Neil Gaiman's own inventory of the books of hell, personally rewritten with no small measure of ambition or cockiness."

"Review"
by Lewis Shiner, Slam,
"The Sandman is not a superhero...he is an observer, occasionally a catalyst, rarely the focus of the action. He rules the kingdom of dreams and his motives are not ours to understand. Neil Gaiman...is the best...[at] combining passion with gruesome horror [and] delicate characterization with exhaustive research."

"Synopsis"
by sam@powells.com,
In stories reprinted from The Sandman #1-7, the Lord of Dreams is freed from decades-long imprisonment and seeks to reclaim his office in encounters with John Constantine, the Justice League of America, and more.

Powell's City of Books is an independent bookstore in Portland, Oregon, that fills a whole city block with more than a million new, used, and out of print books. Shop those shelves — plus literally millions more books, DVDs, and gifts — here at Powells.com.